'Adamya Pathshala', a hope for the poor students in Kushtia

Due to the coronavirus outbreak, the government has closed all educational institutions to stop the spread of the deadly virus. Some students are attending online classes, while some are continuing their education with parents or house tutors.

However, in Kushtia, a large number of students from poor households could not continue their education due to the lack of internet or house tutors during the coronavirus pandemic.

Keeping their situation in mind, a free education programme 'Adamya Pathshala' was launched on June 1 with the slogan 'Coronay Thambe na Poralekha.” 

It aims to educate disadvantaged children in the district so that their education is not hampered due to the coronavirus.

Bheramara upazila unit of Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (Basad) and it’s student wing, Samajtantrik Chhatra Front, have taken this initiative in order to continue the education of these children.

Around 200 students from class one to 10 are currently attending their classes while maintaining social distancing in an open field. There are classes in two batches six days a week, except Friday. Students are allowed to take part in any one of the two batches, whichever is convenient for them.

'Adamya Pathshala' is initially  conducting their programme in Raita Natunpara, Madhobpara, Kuchiamora and Golapnagar, of Mokarimpur and Bahadurpur unions in Bheramara upazila.

The school has distributed books, notebooks, pencils, masks and other education material  free of charge.

Alongside leaders and activists of Basad and the student front, meritorious students studying at various universities across the country, who are now at their  village homes due to the pandemic, and other local meritorious students too,  teach for Adamya Pathshala.

This correspondent spoke to some of the students of the pathsala who are attending school with great excitement.

Hazrat Ali, Nasim, and Jewel Ali said their schools have remained closed for many days due to the coronavirus. They were idle, doing nothing. Now they are once again studying at the Adamya Pathshala which is very helpful for them.

Van driver Kamal Hossain from Bahadurpur Union said children are getting books, notebooks, pencils, and masks from the school which is highly appreciated.

Basad Bheramara Upazila Branch Convener Masud Hasan, one of the initiators of this educational programme, said that for the rich there is the opportunity to study online. For middle class and lower middle class families there are tutors or parents, but the children of working poor families do not have that opportunity. 

For lack of opportunity, some of them will drop out and some will lag behind in their education when schools reopen. The pathshala was started to overcome such a crisis, he said.